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The
following links and text contain valuable information which can help you
manage your energy consumption which in turn may lower your home energy
costs.
Links to
Energy Conservation Sites
How to Buy
Your New Refrigerator
Tips for
Buying a New Refrigerator
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Top freezer
models are more efficient (use 7-13% less energy) than side-by-side
models.
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Manual defrost
models use half the energy of automatic defrost models but must be
defrosted periodically to remain energy efficient.
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Automatic
ice-makers and through-the-door dispensers will increase energy use by
14 to 20% and increase the purchase price by about $75-250.
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Models with an
anti-sweat heater will consume 5% to 10% more energy. Look for a model
that has an "energy saver" switch that allows you to turn off or turn
down the heating coils (which prevent condensation).
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The most
energy-efficient models are in the 16-20 cubic foot sizes. Generally,
the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption. Too
large a model will waste space and energy; too small a model could mean
extra trips to the supermarket.
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It is usually
less costly to run one larger refrigerator than two smaller ones.
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If two different
sized refrigerators use the same amount of energy, the larger model can
be considered more efficient because it keeps more space cold with the
same amount of electricity.
Questions to Ask
When Shopping
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Are rebates or
financing available from local utilities or government agencies for the
purchase of this refrigerator?
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What is the
energy rating? (Be sure to check the
EnergyGuide label.)
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What makes this
model more energy efficient than other similar models?
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What do I need to
know about the refrigerator in order to use it most effectively? (e.g.,
allow 2 inches air flow around refrigerators)
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When buying a
contractor-supplied refrigerator, specify an estimated annual energy
use.
Why Buy An
Energy Efficient Refrigerator?
Your refrigerator
uses the most electricity of all your kitchen appliances. It can account
for as much as 15 percent of a home's total energy usage. A typical
refrigerator costs about $1,140 to operate over its lifetime. And the
older the model, the more electricity it's using. If your present
refrigerator is more than 15 years old, you'll save money on your electric
bills if you replace it with a new, more efficient unit. New models can be
as much as 50 percent more energy efficient than older refrigerators.
Refrigerators made
to meet the latest DOE standards (which will take effect in 2001) will cut
consumers' energy costs by 30 percent compared to the previous (1993)
standards. And a family replacing a 1972-vintage model with a product that
meets the new standard will see their utility bills drop by over $120 a
year. There are super-efficient refrigerators currently on the market that
save even more. If every household in the United States had the most
efficient refrigerators available, the electricity savings would eliminate
the need for more than 20 large power plants.
About
Refrigerator Efficiency
Federal efficiency
standards took effect in 1993, requiring new refrigerators to be more
efficient than ever before. The energy efficiency of refrigerators has
improved dramatically over the past two decades, partially as a result of
these new standards. The efficiency of a refrigerator is based on the
energy consumed per year. The DOE standards set a maximum allowable annual
energy consumption for different sizes and classes of refrigerators.
The energy bill for
a typical new refrigerator with automatic defrost and top-mounted freezer
will be about $55/year, whereas a typical model sold in 1973 will cost
nearly $160/year. Most of the energy used by a refrigerator is used to
pump heat out of the cabinet. A small amount is used to keep the cabinet
from sweating, to defrost the refrigerator, and to illuminate the
interior.
Although many
energy-efficient products may be more expensive to purchase, they will
cost less to operate over the lifetime of the appliance. For example, a
more expensive model could pay for itself in a little over three years.
Over the 15-year lifetime, the more expensive refrigerator might save
$750!
Federal law
requires that
EnergyGuide labels be placed on all new refrigerators. These labels
are bright yellow with black lettering. When you're shopping for the best
buy in a new appliance, using EnergyGuide labels can save you money.
The EnergyGuide
label on new refrigerators will tell you how much electricity in
kilowatt-hours (kWh) a particular model uses in one year. The smaller the
number, the less energy the refrigerator uses and the less it will cost
you to operate. In addition to the EnergyGuide label, don't forget to look
for the ENERGY STAR label. A new refrigerator with an ENERGY STAR label
will save you between $35 and $70 over a year compared to the models
designed 10 years ago. This adds up to between $525 and $1050 over the
average 15- to 20-year life of the unit.
Tips for
Lowering Your Refrigerator Energy Usage
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Keep your
refrigerator or freezer at the following temperatures: 37-40°F for the
fresh food compartment of the refrigerator, 0-5°F for the freezer
section. Use a thermometer to check inside temperatures.
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Regularly defrost
manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; don't allow frost to build up
more than 1/4 inch.
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Make sure your
refrigerator and freezer door seals are airtight. Check the seal on door
gaskets periodically by closing the door on a dollar bill. If it pulls
out easily, you may need a new gasket.
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Keep the doors
closed as much as possible and make sure they are closed tightly.
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To ensure proper
cooling of its contents, don't crowd food items. Too many dishes
obstruct air circulation.
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Cover liquids and
wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture
and make the compressor work harder.
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Replace paper
wrappings on food items with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Paper is an
insulator.
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Consider turning
off the butter conditioner since it is a little heater inside your
refrigerator.
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Experiment with
the "energy saver" switch in your refrigerator - it allows you to adjust
the heating coil under the "skin" of the refrigerator (the purpose of
the heating coils is to prevent condensation on your refrigerator).
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Placement of the
refrigerator is very important. Direct sunlight and close contact with
hot appliances will make the compressor work harder. More importantly,
heat from the compressor and condensing coil must be able to escape
freely, or it will cause the same problem. Don't suffocate the
refrigerator by enclosing it tightly in cabinets or against the wall.
The proper breathing space will vary depending on the location of the
coils and compressor on each model--something important to know before
the cabinets are redesigned.
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Regularly brush
off or vacuum the refrigerator coils on the back or bottom of the unit.
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Because most
refrigerators reject heat from the bottom and/or back, they need
adequate clearance to allow sufficient airflow. While no specific
studies have been done to calculate the optimum clearance space, one
general rule-of-thumb is to double the space recommended by
manufacturers for refrigerator installation. Another rule-of-thumb is to
allow 2 inches of air flow around the refrigerator.
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Don't keep that old, inefficient fridge running day and night in the
garage for those few occasions when you need extra refreshments. A
15-year-old refrigerator could cost $100-$150 per year.
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